Journey Through Starlight
by DreamTimeNation
Summary: Kili thought he had lost everything that day on the battlefield. But, someone will change his life forever. AU. Nobody died.
1. Chapter 1

Hi Everyone! This is my first Hobbit fanfic. I'm not a complete Middle Earth nerd, so I've made a few things up as I have gone along.

Journey through Starlight.

* * *

It had been months since the battle.

Yet, Kili hadn't seen Tauriel since the end of the battle. She was there one moment and gone the next. He last saw her being carried off by Legolas while he too was being carried off by his brother towards the medics back in Erebor.

Her beautiful body was being carried away broken, bloody and bruised. She had taken a beating by Azog, if she was alive Kili couldn't tell. For too long she was too still on the snow covered ground not a few metres from where he had too had fallen. From that moment on, a sense of dread grew in him. She was dead, and he would be alone in the world. The light was gone from his life, her light.

Without Mithril, he wouldn't had lived. None of them would, the last Dwarves of the Durin line had much to be appreciative for. They lived, now able to carry on the noble line of Durin in the place of their forefathers.

His uncle Thorin Oakenshield, now King under the mountain only received minor injuries from being stabbed in the foot and a few crushing injuries from being nearly impaled by Azog.

His brother Fili lived, now that was a miracle. Yet no one saw how he survived. Let alone how he survived the fall from the tower. He does not remember it himself, and with no one to account for him during the battle it will remain a mystery for time to come.

Kili, wearing the brilliant armor of Mithril under his armour received injuries that fested quickly was nearly unconscious for the first month of the recovery due to a horrid fever that surely nearly claimed his life.

From the moment he awoke to the months after, his only thought was the Elf Maid Tauriel whom he had given his heart to. He looked out from Erebor over the town of Dale each night to look at the stars. Was she looking at the stars too? Was she thinking of him?

Was she walking among them? Had her life being claimed by the battle. He didn't know and he had received no answer from the Woodland Elves. The eleven King Thranduil was given the jewels he had been promised and barely an elf had been seen since.

Erebor seemed old and stuffy; the older Dwarves still were too attached to the gold hoard that was recovered. But Kili had no interest in the gold, or learning to run Erebor. That was for his brother the 1st in line to become king after their Uncle. He was just like a spare part, not useful until you lose the other part.

Kili much preferred to be out in Dale, using the skills he had learnt in the Blue Mountains to help rebuild for the Humans who had lost their homes in Lake Town. A sense of guilt always loomed over him, since it was his companions fault that they awoke Smaug… and the firestorm that claimed so many after. So he had a sense of Duty to help those who had lost everything in their quest to reclaim their homeland.

But he still caught himself occasionally riding up to the forest and waiting on its borders. He dared not go in, he had a powerful fear of receiving the news that Tauriel had died during the battle. Without hearing that news, there was a small amount of hope that the Elf that he had come to love still lived.

* * *

Fili grew worried about his younger brother; he wasn't the childish reckless dwarf he once was. He now kept to himself when he was home. Fili started to sense his brother preferred to be out and about in Dale, he was the first to grab a horse in the morning and the last to come back.

It had been going on for nearly a year; Kili wasn't bothered by the up and coming celebration to once again celebrate reclaiming Erebor. Usually he would've been drinking most of the dwarf's beer and cider just to make sure it tastes just right for the big party.

He saw his brother busy with the Lord Bards children. Helping everyone, making sure the human builders were doing a decent job.

But it was watching him with the younger children, the orphans were always surrounding Killi playing with him while he was rebuilding the main gate. He laughed and gave them treats.

It broke Fili's heart. He knew the great loss that had consumed his brother. Fili had seen the small and intimate moments shared between Killi and the beautiful Elf named Tauriel. At first it was a strange sensation to watch a dwarf charm an elf, but to Filli's surprise Tauriel returned his brothers feelings and the pair was inseparable for a time.

Fili had found the side of humour in the pair, here was a dwarf who even though was quite tall for his kind and was almost the normal height of a man somehow managed to charm a woodland elf. Kili's head barely reached her shoulder.

But the pair somehow worked out the mechanics of it, he remembered the cheeky smile his brother had after disappearing in Laketown with the she elf. The pair was truly inseparable, not all over each other like a new childhood love. But it was the small moments that Fili saw that made his heart melt.

Sadly, the battle arrived. Everyone was everywhere and Tauriel was lost. Fili had no recollection of the battle; the last thing he remembered was heading to Erebor on the boat after Smaug had turned Laketown to ash.

* * *

Kili had found himself staring at the wall after one of the children threw a rock at his head. Day dreaming again of another life with the elf he worshiped.

He has finished building the new school for all children of Dale, the younglings had been pestering him for months. He was a source of entertainment for them. He wasn't mean enough to turn the children away, so they were a type of group that helped him along the way doing odd jobs around the city that Kili was too busy to do.

Busy Kili certainly was, he was expected to have the city of Dale looking pristine within the month. Dale was alarmingly busy due to the rush of visitors and travelers who had come from all around Middle Earth to mark the first year since the defeat of Smaug and the Dwarves returning to Erebor.

Kili was expected to attend and maintain all his royal duties, as second in line for the throne he was forgotten at most times of the year. But not at this event. A raven informed him that his own mother was to attend the week long festival…

And that she was bringing six dwarf woman to persuade her own two sons to continue the Durin line.

Kili and continuing the Durin line had long been a forbidden topic of conversation. So when his mother was coming and had no idea that her son was in mourning, everyone knew that this may cause the young prince to either move on or destroy him.

Fili on the other hand couldn't wait, being first in line for the throne meant that he was given riches that he couldn't even dream of. So to find a woman and bringing new life had been a great importance to him, he wanted to die old in his bed surrounded by many children and their own children so that the Durin Line will live on and never nearly cease to exist like it did on the mountain top almost a year ago.

Kili was enjoying the first day of the festival, his mother had yet to arrive and he was no longer surrounded by children who often got in the way. All sorts of riches flooded Dale. Silks from the east, food from the west, Gems from the north. The town was bursting with life and colour.

Music was playing all over town, barely covering the children's laughter as they play in the streets.

It was a joyous sight.

He walked through the streets just as he would've done years ago, unnoticed and seen as just another dwarf. He ate his fill of Plum marinated Pork and cider. He sat on side of street completely content with his work he was admiring. The city was gorgeous.

He was sitting atop of the city gates enjoying how the sunrise turned the entire city to a beautiful earthy orange. A smile crept on his face, one could have sworn it made his face crack it had been that long since the prince had a smile upon his face.

He sighed looking out towards the beautiful country side that surrounded the city.

The festival marked the year that had passed. It felt more like centuries more than one entire year, he felt old and sour. He still looked like the young handsome dwarf still unable to grow a beard like his older brother and uncle.

But he couldn't shake off the grief that had let him consume his heart and soul. If he had closure would he be able to move on? To be even better than he was?

He didn't know.

_"Young Master Kili one would hope you are not going to jump of the ledge, any young dwarf such as yourself should be sick with drink at this hour in the afternoon?"_

Kili knew that voice could only belong to a certain Grey Wizard who keeps returning from wherever he goes just to check on them.

"_No Gandalf, I wouldn't dare risk the wrath of my mother in the next life if I were to die before her. She's one scary woman"_ Kili laughed, but for some reason Gandalf didn't receive his humour.

"I suggest you should go home quickly young Kili, your king and family awaits you."

Kili looked down into the wizards expressions and he felt that something was wrong. Then he saw it, a flicker of silver banners down the path.

Elves of Mirkwood were coming.

_"Go now young prince, I will see you soon enough"_ Gandalf said as he had noted the young prince had frozen siting the Elves in the distance. Luckily Kili did as he was instructed and made haste back to Erabor on some overweight pony.

Kili galloped back as fast as his pony would take him.

But when he got back, Thorin and Fili were awaiting him already. The smile and small sparkle in his eye had vanished as he saw their faces. Grim and grey as the day the battle had ended.

Kili unmounted his pony and approached his king

"_Kili, go have a bath and dressed. We will meet in the war room within an hour, there is much to discuss"_ Thorin stepped down and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

This was going to a night Kili would never forget.


	2. Chapter 2

Journey Through Starlight.

Chapter Two.

* * *

Kili bathed himself in the most indulgent soaps he could find and finally dressed in something that didn't make him look like a common stone craftsman.

He waited in the War room…

And waited…

The thought may have passed him by that it was a little odd, which if the Elves were coming to Erebor then why had Thorin summoned him to the War Room? It was not a room to entertain guests. Nothing more than an old table and twelve council seats, it hadn't even been used since their ancestors. Spiders and birds' nests were still in the room, it had only been quickly cleaned by the younglings of Erebor.

He was starting to fall asleep when the door opened and Thorin entered. The look upon his face made the air turn ice in Kili's own lungs.

"Kili my dear nephew" He approached Kili, avoiding locking eyes with the young prince.

He sat beside Kili, who looked like a dog at dinner time. Desperation was written on his face.

_"As I know that you already know, we have visitors from Mirkwood. Your brother and I both know of the grief you have felt for the past year, that sorrow we know had changed you. But I sit here beside you, not as your king but as the Father you have never had. Because-_" Thorin let a uncomfortable sob out.

"-B_ecause I have had grievous-"_

"_No please-"_ Kili interrupted, the young prince had fallen off his chair and onto his knees uncontrollably sobbing, gasping for breath knowing the words that will soon follow.

_"-News that Tauriel has passed away-"_

_"No! I do not need to hear more"_ Tears were streaming down Kili's face as he looked at his uncle whom was giving him the news that he had long feared. It tore his heart apart, that his fear had come true. He would never see his beautiful Tauriel again.

_"She had survived the battle for that we can be sure. But was struck down by a sickness no one saw coming, she passed just over a week ago_" Thorin bent down onto his knees and pulled his nephew into an embrace.

Tauriel had survived the battle, but died only a week ago. It was devastating to Kili, if he had simply gone to Mirkwood he would have been able to see her.

But then, the door opened.

Gandalf entered the room, looking like the tired old wizard who had seen too much death and sorrow. He was carrying something wrapped in white linin.

Kili hadn't noticed the wizards' presence until the wizard grabbed him with one arm to stand.

Kili looked up at the wizard and saw the pity Gandalf was feeling for him, but another look saw a slight smile.

_"Young prince, I have no words for you. Time will heal what you have lost. But now, you must rise for an even bigger occasion-_

_"-Kili close your eyes and hold out your arms_" Thorin interrupted.

Kili still sobbing and babbling such gibberish managed to take a breath, closed his eyes and held out his arms. Something was placed in his arms, he was expecting cold and hard. But this was soft and warm.

He peeled his eyes open to a sight he would have burned into his memory as long as he lived. There in that moment, in his own arms. Was a baby.

"_Simply Impossible_" Kili gasped.

_"You are holding a child, whom Tauriel had carried for most of the year. As you see, you have healthy girl. She is certainly one of the few Elf and Dwarf children whom has ever existed"_ Gandalf smiled at the young prince, who looked like he had seen a ghost.

The baby girl was beautiful, already having a head full of her mother's Auburn hair. She opened her eyes to look at the crying blubbering mess that was her father. Her rich green eyes stared right at him.

"_What… is her name?_" Kili managed to peace words back together.

_"It has no name"_ another voice sounded from the door. It was the elven prince who had taken quite the distaste to Kili before the battle.

"_She was born a week ago, taking the last of the life Tauriel had within her. That child is no child of Mirkwood, so it was agreed to return her to the home of her father-_

_"- Legolas, you may return to Mirkwood"_ Gandalf intervened before the elf could say anything offensive. The prince of Mirkwood nodded and left.

Kili got up from the floor carefully not wanting to upset the baby. His heart swelled with all sorts of emotions. But he against every logical thought held out the child for Gandalf to take her.

"_I cannot name her… I can't. Please find her a home where she will be loved-"_

_"-No Kili I cannot. She is yours, you are the only parent she has left. She needs you to protect her, with her unique heritage you must be always on watch. You may be grateful that your dwarven customs means she may never be queen, but you will have to be vigilant there will be many who oppose a half dwarf half elf child"_

Gandalf didn't take the child off Kili, he needed that child just as much as she needed him.

Fili came into the room, his face was of joy and pride. He saw his younger brother and the child just looking at one another.

Then Fili saw it, Kill slightly brushed the child's cheek and kissed her forehead.

"_Brother, if you permit me. I suggest the name Tilli not only will she fit in, but she will be one of the finest dwarves in Erebor"_

Filli slapped his brothers arm in his way of congratulating him on this gift of life.

"Yes, Tilli. That will be her name. She will be beautiful" Kili said as he smiled at his daughter.

* * *

Thanks for that have read this story so far! Again, I'm not a Middle earth know it all. So my language is a little different is some others I have read.

Fixing up the mixup between Killi, Filli etc haha! But note, Tilli is spelt correctly out of my own sanity.


	3. Chapter 3

Journey Through Starlight

Chapter Three.

* * *

30 years later…

"_Tilli! How many times do I have to tell you to stop interrogating travelers! Not all of them have come here to take Erebors treasure for themselves. Please relax, the annual dragon festival cannot take place without people in it_" Bard yelled at the young captain. Who was currently going through a wagon of goods intended for the festival.

He was an older man now nearly in his seventies and still Lord of Dale. Yet, he lived in complete content that Dale was a safe and secure city to live in. Especially with young Tilli here to keep an eye on everyone.

Not much fuss was made about Tilli when she was first heard of. After all, she is a girl who cannot inherit. So no one battered an eye lid or caused a huff.

Though Bard laughed to himself at remembering the day Kili's mother found out about her granddaughter. The earth shook that day as she attempted to beat her reckless son. Even then it only took a couple of drinks to calm her and see the brighter side of things.

Watching her now as she put on her skills to fake a smile to the merchants who were not at all pleased she had gone through everything.

All had come to call her a Dwelf, as stupid as the name was it was the only way to describe her appearance. She barely took after her father Kili, most assumed at thirty years old she was around seventeen in her own way. It was hard to tell, both dwarf and elf aging was different.

Luckily Kili was very tall for a Dwarf at 5ft5 so Tilli toward over him at 6ft. She was too tall for her dwarf line and still short for her Elven line.

She was in perfect balance with her heritage, most assumed she was a tall human. But when her beautiful red hair was behind her ears people could see the elven ears she tried to hide most of the time.

She was incredibly beautiful to look at, one of the fairest in Dale and Erebor.

Yet, had no interest in parties and dresses. If there was any trouble in Dale you could guarantee that young Tilli would be close. Her incredible ability and tactics made her one of the youngest captains in the city and of course the best.

"_Princess, you should be heading home. Your birthday celebrations have yet to end. Your father would have my head if I held you from your duties"_ Bard told Tilli, whose fake smile quickly turned sour as she got on her horse and headed off home to Erebor.

* * *

Kili was waiting for his daughter when he saw her white horse in the distance galloping up the path. She was late for the last dinner to celebrate her birthday, which was simply just family. But she was well over an hour late and yet was to change and make herself presentable.

Till stop the horse just in front of her father smiling down at him. Yet, he didn't return her smile but merely raised his eyebrow.

"_I am sorry Father, I-"_

_"Nope, I don't need to hear it. Everyone is waiting for you… again. Go get dressed into something other than your armour and meet us in the dining hall"_ Kili grabbed the horses' reins and had one of the guards escort her in. Tonight, Kili would make sure he would put a lock on her horses stable so no more recklessness would endure for the rest of the festival.

As family celebrations go, only a quarter of the Dwarves in the room with Till were in fact an actual relation. Her great Uncle King Thorin, Uncle Fili and his young son Billi, Grandmother Dis and the rest of the company that help take back Erebor.

Tilli entered the room and went straight to her King.

"_Forgive my rudeness Thorin-"_

"_-Tilli, A king as such as myself should never be kept waiting_" Thorin looked at Tilli before standing her up and waited for the rest to start eating before winking at her, meaning that he was very used to her and her habit of being late for everything.

Tilli smiled, Thorin and herself had been thick as thieves for many years. After all, she was the daughter he didn't have and it wasn't like he had anyone else to spoil yet. Filli's young son was still a baby so until he could walk and talk Tilli was still the apple of the Kings eye.

Tilli sat in-between her father and the king. All of them already telling stories about reclaiming of Erebor and the defeat of Smaug.

She loved her family, although she had accepted long ago she was different but none of the other dwarves treated her so. She was just considered a Dwarf, who happened to be a lot taller than most. Which came in handy when people needed help reaching things.

But most of all she loved her birthday and the festival. Though nothing could ever be stronger than the love she had for her Father, it was the only time of year where she might hear a story involving her mother. Kili rarely talked about her, or mention her. But one day, she was in a conversation with her uncle Fili and the King and they told her about an Elf Maiden who stole her father's heart.

So she understood why it was hard at this time of year, not only did her father have to celebrate her birthday but remember the woman she closely resembles.

"_I remember our time in the forest, long had we been lost. We all had just managed to escape these giant spiders when we were sent upon by a patrol of Elves_" Old Balin knew Tilli loved this story, it was his gift to her every year. The young princess looked at him with such grateful eyes, while she held her father's hand to comfort him.

"_These elves came out of the darkness and slaughtered the spiders that had been chasing us, we thought they had come to help. But quickly realized their arrows were pointing at us._"

She knew the bit that was coming up, after all these years he never changes a single word of the story. So she knew it by heart. She rested her head on her father's shoulders to try and comfort him even further.

"_We then heard your father screaming like a mad man, we wanted to help but were surrounded by elves waiting to cut us to bits if we dared move. Then we saw something that at the time was odd. A female elf appeared out of nowhere and started to kill the spiders that were about to make your father dinner"_

Kili rested his head against his daughters, Kili loved this story and swelled with the feelings that were upon seeing Tauriel for the first time.

"Y_our father yelled for her to pass him a knife to kill on coming spider, but the Elf did not. Instead she used her incredibly ability to reshoot arrow to kill the spider that had pinned your Father to the ground that she herself had just used to kill a spider who was nearly on top of her"_

Kili sniffed as a tear escaped him, Tilli wiped the tear from her father's cheek.

"There was this moment between the two, we all saw it. They were both silent just looking at one another"

The night lingered on, Kili had regathered his merriness for the party after some comfort from his daughter. He hadn't meant to dampen the mood on her birthday, but he couldn't help it. He still thought about that day Balin described, still remembering those fierce green eyes looking directly at him.

He swelled with pride looking at his daughter, she was accomplished. Not all favored her being in the Dale guard, but he couldn't stop her. She was like her mother in many ways.

Then the moment was ruined.

_"My king!"_ A guardsmen had burst through the door. "_An Orc pack has been spotted on the outskirts of Dale, hiding in the forest"_

Thorin looked at Fili, who looked at Kili who turned around to see his daughter. Who was no longer in the room?

She was going to be chained to her bed once he got a hold of her.

* * *

Within moments the young princess had cut the lock on her horses stable, gathered her bow and arrows and was galloping off into the night to find this orc pack.

Tilli knew her father and family wouldn't be too far behind her, she wanted this. After all, Orcs had caused so much grief to her family. This purely a sport, a game to her. She was skilled fighter and an orc pack was nothing to hard.

She galloped through Dale alerting the Guardsmen, a few on horses followed her up the path towards Mirkwood forest.

The orcs were feasting on some poor animal when Tilli came through on horseback butchering the group like pigs. She cleaned the blood off her armour even before her father arrived.

Killi found his daughter in the middle of a cleaning covered in blood, attempting to clean the black liquid off. No one was hurt, not even a mark. It had been a clean fight.

Killi rushed over to his daughter and embraced her with open arms. Tilli returned the hug, she hadn't meant to scare her father.

"_I hate it when you do that_" Kili said as he looked up at her.

"_Rushing off into a fight when only men at your side is enough to have you forbidden to leave Erebor for the next decade_" He laughed as he tried to remove some of the blood off her fair

_"I'm sorry, I got carried away again. Please forgive me_" Tilly gently grabbed her father's hand and looked at him with her infamous sad eyes.

"_Fine. I hate it when you pull that face. But, because you scared the life out of me you have to give up your sword for three days_" Kili looked at his daughter and saw that she was thinking. But she sighed instead and nodded in agreement.

"_You are troublesome-_" Kili began, but a twig behind Tilli snapped.

Till drew her bow and turned quickly to look into eyes with someone with the same green eyes as her. A young woodland elf had her bow drawn. Both of them, ready to fire pointing at one another.

Kili came from behind to interrupt the stare off.

"_Easy girls, everyone take a breath and put down the bows. We mean no harm to the woodland realm. We will be leaving_" Kili said and he put his hand on Tilli's bow to point it to the ground and not at the spooked elf.

Kili waited for the elf, but she was perplexed by Tilli. The elf couldn't have been that old, she was roughly the same height as Tilli with long dark hair and the same green elven eyes.

Kili moved towards the young elf

_"Nobody moves! My father is on his way here. All of you are trespassing_" The elf was extremely nervous, her bow and voice shook.

Something fell out of her pocket, Tilli made the mistake of moving to get it.

The elf shot her with her arrow, hitting her in the shoulder. Tilli screamed with pain.

Kill took to his daughter's side, desperately attempting to take the arrow out. He had never seen his daughter hurt, in fact this was the first time he had seen her blood.

He managed to pull the arrow out, causing Tilli to wail in pain. Blood was soaking the forest ground, if she didn't receive help soon. She would bleed to death.

* * *

Again, Im not a brilliant writer. Nor do I know all of the Middle Earth Cultures, traditions, language. This story is purely for my own entertainment. Because I was annoyed that they killed Kili off.


	4. Chapter 4

I am not the best writer so i do apologize that this story is a bit rushed. I have a trouble detail and environments

But here is the new chapter! hope you enjoy it

* * *

Journey Through Starlight.

Chapter Four

* * *

Kili yelled for someone to help him, but no one knew any healing magic. The open wound in his daughters shoulder was pouring out blood, he had never seen such a simple wound bleed so badly. Panic was seething through both of them, Tilli was in an astounding amount of pain and her father was making things worse by the second.

Kili and a guardsman tried to get Tili back on her horse. But, Kili was too small and couldn't reach. The other guardsmen had left the moment the last orc had been slane. They were stuck, and stuck with an elf who was frozen out of fear.

The forest went silent as Kili's screams for help went unheard. As if the forest did not want to help the dwarf.

"Quiet Prince of Erebor, there are more fearful creatures in the forest than orcs" A voice came up above in the trees. It was Kili's long forgotten neither friend nor foe… Legolas.

"My lord, please help me. We will leave immediately but please I need your help" He pleaded with Legolas, who dropped from the tree and had a look at his daughters shoulder.

Legolas winced, it was indeed a nasty wound. But it was the concern that it wasn't an Orc wound. He looked to the young dark haired elf. Who was missing an arrow.

"Daughter, what is the mean of this? You shot someone who was not an orc. You are lucky you didn't kill her, you might have started a war otherwise" Legolas would finish the lecture later, for now he held the injured young one in his arms.

"I will take you to my kingdom, where your daughter will receive medical treatment. But I ask you Prince, you will leave the moment she is fit enough to ride."

"I would do anything for my daughter my lord"

* * *

The beauty of the Mirkwood had long been forgotten in Kili's imagination, he had forgot its flawless work throughout the entire realm.

He walked briskly along with Legolas, who was still holding Tilli in his arms. Blood had spilled from her wound and now covered the prince.

* * *

Tilli had gone pale and quiet, she was in extreme danger. Kili could barely look at her without crumbling.

They placed her on a nearby bench, she was soon well attended to.

Within an hour colour had returned to her face and she was awake.

"Kili, your daughter will be fine" The elf that had nursed his daughter smiled at the grief stricken dwarf who dared not leave his daughter's side.

"Thankyou milady" Kili smiled back.

He saw something in his daughters hand, it was the object that the dark haired elf dropped which Tilli had mistakenly picked up.

Kili opened his daughters hand and the very air left his body. He felt as cold as ice.

Because that stone was the one he had given Tauriel so that she kept her promise to return to him.

Tilli woke up to find her father as white as snow as if he had seen a ghost.

"Father? What's wrong? You look like death has taken you"

"I...I… I need to speak to Legolas, remain here. I won't be one moment"

Legolas was in the gardens with the young elf that accidently shot Kili's daughter.

"Please Father, I didn't know. I just froze, I had never seen a dwarf then there was that girl who looked like mother and then everything happened so quickly"

"You cannot wonder out into the forest by yourself, what you did was reckless. You shot the Princess of Erebor and could have caused another war" Legolas was stern with his words, it was something that was punishable now.

"Elanor, you know you're not a soldier. Yet, you still break the rules and go off with your bow"

"I want to be like you and mother, I cannot stay within these walls for eternity. It is maddening knowing that there is world out there and I'm stuck in here learning to heal the sick and injured"

"If you leave again without permission, I won't let you out of my sight again" Legolas was very strict with Elanor for good reason. Last week it was a cave troll she stumbled upon and now she had shot the Princess of Erebor.

"Legolas please be reasonable, she only wants to know what is beyond the forest" Legolas looked up, someone he knew was coming down the stairs. A smile on her face as usual when she saw her daughter.

"Mother"-

"-Tauriel you need to leave, you were not expected back for a few more days" Legolas interrupted, he panicked she was not supposed to be from Rivendell so soon. His voice has Tauriel concerned, something was causing the prince distress.

"What is the matter?" she asked

"We have guests who are about to leave, I want them to leave without any theatrics" Legolas attempted to tell Tauriel not to interfere. But the look on her face told him otherwise

"Who are they?" Tauriel asked

Unknown to them, Kili stood not far from them. He was in mad rush not long ago and now again it felt like someone had walked over his very grave.

There she was, someone who was supposed to have died long ago.

And unknowingly to Kili, his daughter was not too far behind. Witnessing that her father has gone still as a statue while watching the Elves in the garden.

"-Dwarves, one was injured. Elanor accidently shot one. They are just about to leave" Legolas wanted Tauriel to leave them alone. He wanted the dwarf and his daughter so everything would remain as it were.

"Would I know any of them?" Tauriel asked politely while pulling a few leaves from her daughter's hair

"No-"

"-You sure about that? Oh mighty Legolas of the woodland realm? Because I feel like someone in this garden was supposed to be dead" Kili was hysterical.

Legolas looked at the Dwarf and sighed. He wasn't sure if the Dwarf was mad or upset, but at the moment he looked completely beside himself.

Tauriel fell to her knees, he was supposed to be dead. After all these years there was the man she loved, not five feet from her. He was supposed to have died that day, she saw Bolg crush him like he was nothing more than a apple. They had lied to her, Legolas had lied to her.

Tauriel was lost, tears over flowed dripping down her flawless face. Her hands covered her mouth to quieten the sobs.

Kili too was in tears, he was in a state of disbelief. After so many years of dreaming of this moment and so many years of begging to the gods for Tauriel return. Here she was, as beautiful as the day he last saw her.

"You were never meant to see any of this dwarf!" Legolas shouted at the Dwarf who was sitting on the steps to the garden.

"Father! Are you alright?" Tilli came to her father's aid. He was crying, she had never seen her father cry for so many years. The last time, she hadn't even seen him cry. She had only heard his quiet sobs at night when she was growing up. About her mother, the woman she had never met

But there stood this Elf, one of the most beautiful Tilli has ever laid her eyes upon. She too was crying, her long fire coloured hair was something that caught Tilli's attention. It was the same as hers?

"Father?" Tilli wrapped a arm around him. But, he was sobbing slightly still completely perplexed by the she elf

"What is going on here? What have your kind said to my father! How dare you upset him!" Tilli stood in front of Kili, attempting to act tough. But the blonde elf, couldn't care less about her.

"This was never meant to happen. You and your dwarven kind were never meant to re-enter the forest. But I couldn't turn you away with knowing it was Elanor who had shot you. I should have known better, I should have put you on a horse and sent you away! "

"I need to go. I cannot process this" Kili got up and turned his back to leave.

"What did you do Legolas!" Tauriel yelled at him. Kili stopped and looked at woodlands prince. Tauriel had gotten off the ground and stood next to the prince giving him a look that could kill.

"You have to understand, I had orders. Once it had become apparent that you were with child after you came in from the battle field my father gave me orders. But I had to negotiate! He didn't want any more mixing of the blood lines, so when the twins were born. I was supposed to kill the bigger child… But I couldn't do it. So we reached an agreement, one child would remain within the Mirkwood forest and the other sent to Erebor. You and Kili were both told that one of you had died. It gave my father peace and comfort he needed to make Mirkwood great again" Legolas looked at Tauriel with such sadness and regret.

"You were so sick when you were carrying them. My father was extremely confident that all three of you would die"

"You had no right!" Tauriel yelled at him in anger. Legolas knew what he was apparent of and he didn't do anything. His father had left nearly a decade ago for the Rivendell to join houses with Lord Elrond, he had so many opportunities over the years to reveal the truth. It was overwhelming for him, Tauriel was everything to him. He quickly left the garden to be alone with his thoughts, to see if he could remedy this later perhaps.

Tauriel looked at the young elf, Tilli looked at her back. Tears started to stream from Tilli's face, she rushed over to Tauriel on the ground and hugged and sobbed in her arms. Tauriel was too crying, as she embraced the daughter she was told didn't even take her first breath.

Kili watched on from a few feet away. Still waiting to wake up. His daughter looked like she was never going to let Tauriel go. But, he was distracted by Elenor. Who looked immensely uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Elenor caught on that the dwarf was looking at her, she slowly made her way over to him.

"I had often wondered where I got my hair colour from" she shyly smiled at him.

Kili smiled as he took a few strands of her hair in his hand.

"Your grandfather and Uncle share the same hair, of course yours is a lot more prettier" He attempted to laugh a bit, but the tears of joy running down his face was ruining his sense of humour. Elenor saw this, she approached her Father and wiped the tears from his face. Both smiling at each other like fools.

Everyone was in a state of disbelief

This was turning out to be a strange day indeed.

* * *

Later that night, the three of them were left to be alone in Tauriel room. The girls giggled and played with each other's hair. Tili was insistent that her twin sister and herself had the same braid. She had too much to catch up on. Her sister was a bit different to her which she found interesting. Elenor had never been trained for anything other than being a healer, which made sense. She was too kind and too gentle, as if an animal died in front of her she would shatter like glass in a heartbeat.

But things weren't quite fixed between the two former lovers. They went into a different room needing to find answers from one another. The pair hadn't spoken directly to one another, they had been too busy fussing over their children.

"This all feels strange, as if it was a dream or I have died" Kili said as he watched Tauriel sitting there with her mind obviously in torment, Tauriel looked at him. He had the same face when she left him with his kin by the ruins of Laketown. Though slightly aged, and his beard getting a bit thicker he was still the scruffy Dwarf she had taken a liking to in the dungeons all those years ago

"Kili I.. –"

"-Did you know you were pregnant?" Kili asked. Tauriel shifted on the seat uncomfortably, was he going to be angry with her if she told him the truth?

"I did" Tauriel didn't want to sugarcoat it.

"But you still didn't tell me and went into battle" The moment Kili said that caused her heart to stop almost. He said it in a way that she knew he was not too pleased with her.

"I had only just found out, you were sick and then the dragon.. I would have told you. But, everything happened in a blur and then I lost you… now you're here demanding answers"

"You should have told me!" Kili nearly yelled, but remembered the girls were in the other room.

"I know, but when I was sick and they told me you had died. It felt a lot better in my mind that you didn't know. When I was in labour and they told me my eldest child was born dead I thought in that moment that she was going to join you in the stars. Away from all evil in the world"

"I should have been there, I should've helped you bring our daughters into the world. Legolas robbed me of the duty as a father" Kili looked at his boots, never has he ever wanted more than to push Legolas off a cliff for what he had taken from him.

"For that we can fix, we can start again." Tauriel bent down in front of Kili. "Please do not be angry with me, I could not bare the looks you are giving me right now. They are burning a hole in my heart. We have two precious girls together, we have a family. I am sure with all the years I have left I can give you a bigger family that you have always wanted. We can both die, surrounded by love and our grandchildren" Tauriel smiled at Kili, who smiled back as he pulled her in for a kiss.

But what she had sent had him panicked.

"Hold on, you cannot die-

-Oh I can, my immortality was shattered long ago. The light of my Kin has left. I will grow old eventually and I will die just as you will one day. We will both die within years of each other if age takes us that I can promise."

Both of them were blubbering like fools, when they both went out to watch Tilli finish braiding her sisters' hair. They had a small family, but a family that will need love and kindness to make up for the time that has been stolen from them


End file.
